The present invention relates generally to the field of text processing, and in particular to a context-sensitive template engine for analyzing the content of a text segment and automatically generating a template for responsive text. The invention is particularly well-suited for electronic messaging applications in which users are limited to a device having little or no keyboard functionality.
In the field of electronic messaging, or "e-mail," it is desirable to minimize the time and effort required for a user to compose text messages. Accordingly, there has been an effort to develop so-called "assisted mail" systems capable of generating some or all of a response to a received text message. Such systems have developed along two lines: built-in response generators and rule-based response generators.
An example of a built-in response generator is the TeleScript system developed by General Magic. Assuming that both a message sender and a message recipient are TeleScript users, the sender may include certain reply options in an outgoing text message. Upon receipt of such a message, the recipient may select a desired reply and TeleScript will automatically generate a responsive text message. For example, an outgoing message might be "Would you like to go to lunch now?" followed by a "Yes/No" selection option. The recipient may then reply to the message simply by selecting, or "clicking on," the appropriate response.
An example of a rule-based response generator is the cc:Mail.RTM. product marketed by Lotus Corp. In this system, a user can establish rules for automatically replying to incoming text messages. When an incoming message matches a predefined rule (e.g., the message is from a certain person, the message includes a certain word or combination of words), the system automatically responds to the message with a predefined, fixed text message.
A number of problems exist with both the built-in and rule-based response generators currently available. For example, an undesirable feature of built-in systems like TeleScript is the requirement that both the sender and the recipient be users of the same or compatible e-mail systems capable of recognizing the encoded reply options. Unfortunately, most popular e-mail systems today do not recognize the necessary codes. These presently-known assisted mail systems are likewise relatively inflexible, requiring adherence to certain stylistic restrictions dictated by predefined reply option formats, automatic matching rules and the use of predetermined message texts for automatically-generated responses. Finally, the existing systems are often difficult to use in view of special programming and configuration requirements for initial setup. In cc:Mail, for example, a user must first engage in the cumbersome task of establish matching rules using Boolean logic operators. Once established, these rules are rigid in that there is no subsequent interaction permitted to tailor the rules in view of actual usage patterns.
The present invention is intended to address these and other shortcomings of known assisted mail systems by providing a context-sensitive template engine to automatically generate a text message, whether in response to a previously-received message or "from scratch," whose meaning corresponds to certain user-selected words or phrases. The features and benefits of the invention are discussed in detail below.